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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26538469">Dance with Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DandelionCares/pseuds/DandelionCares'>DandelionCares</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Trolls (2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort, Conflict Resolution, Dancing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Groping, Inspired by Music, Intimacy, Kissing, Love Confessions, Resolved Sexual Tension, Romance, Sensuality, Slow Dancing, Touching</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:40:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,877</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26538469</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DandelionCares/pseuds/DandelionCares</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Branch returns to the bunker, hurt and frazzled, after a particularly tense altercation with Creek and, much to his disappointment, Poppy as well.</p><p>But little did he know that that certain pink princess was hot on his tails, determined to find him and smooth things over.</p><p>..............</p><p>This is a long-ish oneshot overall (a ficlet, if you will)... but the 3 chapters are short and sweet.</p><p>T rating for sexual tension, a bit of kissing, sensual touch and some (but not all) removal of clothes.</p><p>Larger versions of the artworks can be found on my Instagram account, which I have linked with each image in this fic!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Branch/Queen Poppy (Trolls)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Best Broppy, Top Shelf Broppy</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. When You're All Alone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was nearly nightfall, and Branch had finally made back to the bunker after the afternoon’s events. He couldn’t get inside fast enough.</p>
<p>He knew the rest of the village didn’t get it - didn’t get <em>him</em>. It was just frustrating and hurtful when his shortcomings were waved in front of his face, and by Creek of all people.<br/>
<br/>
Branch seethed to himself. Boy, that troll made his skin crawl.<br/>
<br/>
Branch could take most taunts and backhanded remarks on the chin; the giggles, the whispers from the other villagers… and really today should be no different. But why did Creek have to bring Poppy into it as well? Parading her around in front of him, knowing full well that it would irk him the most. That creep even had the gaul to drag her along with some of the taunts, making out she had the same sentiments as Creek. Speaking for her like she was a puppet. Bopping her nose, rubbing it in his face. Branch bristled at the thought. Why hadn’t Poppy stepped up and put Creek in his place, instead opting to just let it all happen? That was odd for her. An honestly, that hurt more than anything Creek had thrown at him today.</p>
<p>Branch sighed as he hopped off the elevator. He shook his head to push the thoughts aside and figured he really needed to relax. Some music perhaps. Some distraction to stop his thoughts rattling around in his head – he figured they’d only be amplified within the walls of a silent bunker.</p>
<p>Music. He moved over to his old record player in the loungeroom and reached for a well-worn LP packet inside the cabinet underneath. He pulled out the record gave it a look over, blowing off a few specks of dust before placing it down on the tray, gently setting the pin down to start the music. It softly crackled alive; a gentle, soothing melody started to fill the room. An old favourite. Branch rolled his shoulders back and stretched his head from side to side. Ok, this was a good start.  </p>
<p>Just as he shook himself out of his leaf vest, placing it over a chair, he heard the elevator to the bunker grind into gear. He gritted his teeth. Even though there was only one other person in the entire village who knew the lock combination to the bunker, he really wasn’t in the mood for seeing anyone right now. Even her. Regardless, he carried on with what he was doing, opting to clear a pile of papers from his desk and replacing a few books back on the bookshelf.</p>
<p>Poppy soon appeared at the loungeroom entrance. She stood quietly, waiting for him to acknowledge her. But Branch carried on with his tasks, choosing to ignore her. Hoping she’d get the hint and go away.    </p>
<p>“Branch?” she asked warily. “Can I come in?”</p>
<p>Branch stopped in his tracks and turned to her. He couldn’t help but look at her a little incredulously for that.</p>
<p>“Looks like I don’t have much choice, do I?” he said bluntly, raising an eyebrow at her. Poppy swallowed and took a step into the room.   </p>
<p>“I’m sorry I didn’t stand up for you today. You know… with what happened with Creek,” Poppy said quietly, looking down guiltily. Branch straightened up and stood rigidly, his arms crossed as he waited for her to continue. Poppy fidgeted a little nervously with her fingers. “I… I can’t have him figure it out, Branch. I can’t have him hurt you if he found out. And I know he would. He can’t know about …” she gestured between them. “… this.”</p>
<p>Branch shifted his weight, arms still tight across his chest.<br/>
<br/>
This. He didn’t even know what ‘this’ was.<br/>
<br/>
It had started out innocently enough. She had dropped by the bunker one afternoon a few months ago to check up on him after he had slipped out of a tree picking berries near the village. He had wasted no time in promptly shooing her away that day. Over the following weeks the visits came a little more frequently, much to his disdain… at first.<br/>
<br/>
She had offered to cook up a batch of spiced muffins one rainy afternoon at the bunker. A cleverly devised plan to get herself inside “from the rain”, he had realised. He wasn’t blind. But she had ended up staying for a few hours that day. He offered her some of his homebrewed blueberry tea and showed her around the bunker. They ate the muffins together. They drank more tea. They talked. The rain had stopped, but they never noticed.<br/>
<br/>
After that day she would swing by at random times, whenever she could slip away unnoticed at the village. Sometimes it was just for a chat, but lately she seemed to be hinting for more. She was beginning to reach out a little, sometimes to hold his hand when they wandered through the bunker, or run her fingers over his leaf vest while they talked. Like she was just eager to touch him somehow, in any way she could. He even allowed her the odd hug time if it was timed right. All little things, but Branch noticed it. And the thing was, he didn’t mind it either.</p>
<p>Poppy dipped her head down to try to meet his eyes but they were fixed hard on the floor, lost in thought.</p>
<p>“He can’t know about … <em>us</em>, Branch.” she corrected gently. He looked up and their eyes locked, a sudden moment of understanding passing between them as the music crackled to its finish, somewhere in the background. Branch nodded to himself thoughtfully at Poppy’s words, but said nothing. Silence hung between them as the record player rolled into the next song.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Dance with Me?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Music soothes the savage beast..</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Click on the video player at the top of the chapter so you can hear the song Branch is playing. It will help set the mood for the next few chapters!</p>
<p>And full versions of the artwork is linked to my Instagram posts, go and check them out!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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<p>The music started drifting around the room again. It was a slow beat, but it stirred something within Poppy and she felt compelled to act on it. She took a deep breath in and slowly moved across the room. He watched her silently as she approached him, coming to stand within a foot of him. He tensed up a little at their proximity – it was an intimate distance, and Branch wasn’t sure if it was deliberate or not. He swallowed hard, but kept his eyes fixed on her. Poppy reached her hand out and brushed his forearm lightly, gazing up to him. He could feel her warm breath brush across the skin on his face.</p>
<p>“… Dance with me?” She asked quietly, motioning towards the music.</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Branch scoffed softly, trying to look and sound more confident than he felt.</p>
<p>“What.. here?” he said, raising an eyebrow. Poppy smiled and inched forward a little more.  </p>
<p>“Here,” she whispered, her eyes gliding down to his chest. She placed a single hand upon his bare skin. He stiffened, sucking in a sharp shaky breath to steady himself. The warmth and touch sending instant shivers across his body. Poppy could sense he was nervous; his heart was thudding away under her hand, yet he wasn’t resisting her. She eased herself forward a little more, trailing both her hands slowly up to his shoulders, around his neck, twirling her fingers up in his hair. Branch’s eyes fluttered closed and he instinctively rolled his head back a little, a restrained groan escaping his throat as his skin flushed again. His arms finally unclenched from across his chest and dropped to his sides. And then slowly… tentatively as if she might break… he brought his hands up to wrap around her waist. Poppy smiled and leaned into him more, slowly starting to sway to the beat of the music, rocking her hips back and forth, silently encouraging him to follow her.   </p>
<p>Taking her cue, Branch started to move as well. Their bodies began swaying forwards and backwards together as they started to lose themselves in the rhythm of the music. Branch’s arms wrapped around her a little tighter as he started to relax into the closeness. He could hardly believe this was happening.<br/> <br/>In a bold move, Poppy rolled her chest away from him, fully presenting her arched neck, and he complied by dipping her back, daring to lean forward and brush his lips over the front of her dress. The touch and smell of her was intoxicating. When she eased herself back towards him their faces were incredibly close, eyes staring intensely at each other. The music continued to pulse around them. Silently Poppy moved her mouth down to under his chin and started planting soft sweet kisses across his neck, sending his mind ablaze with every moment her lips made contact with his skin. She then proceeded to take a slow walking lap around Branch, dragging her hands deliberately over his skin; tracing his muscles, dancing over his multitude of scars with her fingers, dipping down to brush over his backside. She lingered here ever so briefly, which didn’t go unnoticed. The both smiled to themselves.  </p>
<p>When she came back around to face him, he was staring at her with brooding intent. At that moment, they both seemed to have the same idea.</p>
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</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Come Take My Hand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I added the music up top again in case you want to keep the mood rolling... it is a pretty sensual song.... oof.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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<p>Branch reached forward and gently grasped her wrists, raising her arms over her head, his eyes never leaving hers as he moved his hands down to grab the material of her dress. He pulled the entire thing up and over her head, letting it drop to the floor, leaving Poppy now standing in front of him in nothing but a lace bra and her delicate underwear. He gazed over her, mesmerized at the glorious pink sparkling sight before him, but becoming increasingly hesitant that he had gone too far. Poppy, seeing the doubt in his eyes, moved towards him again, tenderly stroking his cheek with her hand, wordlessly assuring him everything was fine. With that he couldn’t restrain himself for another moment and slid his arms around her again, reeling when their skin finally made contact. Hair, he never wanted to lose the feeling of this, of her. It was like nothing he had ever experienced in his life. The warmth, the sensation of their bodies touching, the intense buzz that filled the pit in his stomach. All the worries of the day melted away as he melted into her arms like this.</p>
<p>They then picked up their slow dance again, continuing to sway and grind to the music, both relishing the intimate contact. Branch ran his hands over Poppy’s bare back and around her shoulders, dipping her occasionally and grabbing her soft luscious thighs when she brough a leg up around his hip. She ran her fingers over his ears and around his neck, enjoying how he sighed and clutched her closer. All their movements just felt right, natural, in sync.</p>
<p>Finally as the song started to wind down, Branch seized the last few moments of magic before the spell broke and brought Poppy up in front of him. Without hesitation, he leaned in and kissed her. She returned it instantly and eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck and jumping up in his arms, twisting her legs around his waist.</p>
<p>The record scratched to its end. The song may have finished, but the couple stumbling towards the bedroom in a flurry of lips, entwined hair and skin, barely noticed.</p>
<p>
  
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you enjoyed the story, art and music! Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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